Understanding Facebook can be the first step to having it work for your company.

Yesterday, I wrote a blog about the first five Facebook myths I regularly see. Today, I am going to write about a four more Facebook myths I hear on a regular basis.

1. My company does not have the same amount of advertising spend as my larger competitors, so I should not even try Facebook ads. – This one always makes me stop for a pause. Large corporations may always have a larger advertising budget than your company in every area of marketing, but that does not mean your business should not advertise on Facebook. Facebook ads work because you can tailor your ad to your target market, during the time of day they are online, and only spend an allotted amount for that day. So, will $150 worth of ads get you more impressions than $100 worth of ads, possibly? It is based on your target market, how well your ads are engaging, and whether or not a large company is going after the same exact target market at the same exact time. I have some company’s who could spend as little as $50.00 a month, and they will have a successful campaign because everyone loves engaging and buying from his or her brand. The two essential things are not always the amount you spend, but how well you know what your target market likes and the times your target market is on Facebook to engage with your ads.

2. A company should automatically erase negative comments on Facebook. – Understandably, companies worry about their online reputation. Instead of turning one unfortunate comment into a PR nightmare, make sure your business has a plan in place on how they will handle negative comments. A business can effectively turn a negative comment into an excellent customer service tool for the world to see. Most of the time, I advise my clients to deal with the comment as soon as possible, by asking the person to send them a private message to help them resolve their issue. Publically, you have not ignored the message, but you have also not allowed it to escalate in a public manner.

3. My company should not enable people to tag themselves in our photos. – I am not sure what the fear is behind this, but from a Facebook marketing standpoint, tagging a photo is an excellent way to extend your organic reach. A company can encourage employees, customers, and fans, to tag themselves in business photos. Every time someone tags themselves you have the possibility of their friends seeing the post. According to a study done by Pew Research Center, February of last year, the average Facebook user has 200 friends. As a result, just two people tagging themselves in your company’s photos could increase your reach to up to 400 Facebook Users without paying for it.

4. I post stuff on my business page, and Facebook just doesn’t work. – This is the final myth. and when I hear this, I usually want to agree with the client. Facebook does not work if you just post stuff. Like any other marketing tool, Facebook has to have a well-thought out strategic plan in place to work for your business. It takes time, money, and effort and knowing the measurable results your company seeks prior to starting.